Putin responds to Pope Leo's ceasefire request during surprise phone call from Rome's Gemelli Hospital

The Pope called Russian President Vladimir Putin from his hospital room in Rome on Friday, and the Russian leader has agreed to cooperate with the Vatican on sending humanitarian aid to a Ukrainian town.

The 71-year-old pope, who is recovering from lung cancer surgery this week, requested Putin to implement a ceasefire in the Russian-controlled town of Oleshky in the Kherson region of Ukraine.

Leo showed deep concern over the humanitarian crisis in the town, and asked for a temporary ceasefire so food, medicines and the safe evacuation of civilians could be made possible, according to the Vatican.

In response, the Kremlin declared that Putin backed the Vatican's plan to assist the residents and promised to cooperate with the Vatican in supplying the necessary items.

But Moscow has yet to confirm that Putin had accepted the proposed ceasefire.

According to United Nations figures, the town population of about 24,000 people before Russia's invasion has shrunk to 47 children and 1,700 adults.

The residents have been facing food and medicine shortages, and Russia and Ukraine have blamed each other for blocking humanitarian deliveries to the region.

Putin also expressed hope the pope would soon recover and also criticized the Ukrainian authorities for the deteriorating situation in Oleshky during the discussion.

The call was initiated reportedly from Leo who, after undergoing an operation on Tuesday to remove a section of his right lung, is still at Rome's Gemelli Hospital.

The Vatican published images of the pope's attendance at Mass in the hospital on Friday, and doctors said he was making good progress.

This marks the second recorded phone call between Leo and Putin since the American-born pontiff became pope.